User talk:JERIDGE
Welcome Hi, welcome to London Bird Club Wiki! Thanks for your edit to the Patchlist 2010 page. Please leave a message on my talk page if I can help with anything! -- Andrewself (Talk) 14:03, December 22, 2009 Scaup at Brent Hi Jon The Scaup was asleep amongst the Tufted & Pochard flock on the north res on Sunday so it sounds like you did see it. On Saturday it was seen from the main hide around the rafts. Andrewself 11:43, February 8, 2010 (UTC) Pinner Park Birds Hi Jon, As a fellow London birder, I have been following the Latest News page with interest. I noticed the variety of species that result from Pinner Park Farm. As a result, I have decided to take a visit this weekend. Could you give me a few pointers on the location of the Fieldfare and Snipe? Many Thanks, Charlie Hi Charlie, The Fieldfare are usually in the main pond field & easily given away by their 'chacking' call. The Snipe can be tricky - at the moment they're residing in the field behind the yard but are not guaranteed (none today for example). I will probably be on site this weekend at some point, I just hope the weather isn't rubbish like it was today. Hope this helps. Regards, Jon R. 20:38, February 10th, 2011. Hi Jon, Thanks for the quick reply. I see 126 Fieldfare and 45 Redwing were reported today, where abouts were they? I had a look in the pond field from the public footpath at about 9.30AM and only saw a few. Is there a better time to visit? Regards, Charlie Hi Charlie, The bulk of the mixed flock were towards the back of the field in front of the row of residential farm houses at 11:50. By 13:00 they had mostly flown off & relocated in a large Oak behind the reception building. They can be very mobile, but never go far. Only two Snipe today - one behind the yard (flushed) & one in the River Pinn field (also flushed). If you want good views of Snipe there are usually good numbers wintering at Brent Reservoir - easily viewable from the Heron hide. Your visit time today at 09:30 was certainly a lot more admirable than my rather sluggish effort at 11:00 (the time doesn't tend to matter for these birds) - I was going to do the Wetland Centre today, but decided I had left it a bit late.. Regards & Good luck, Jon R. 21:14, February 12th, 2011. Hi Jon, I have not been able to visit Pinner Park recently but I noticed that no Fieldfare were noted in recent days, only Redwing. Have they dissapeared? Thanks, Charlie Hi Charlie, Sorry it has taken me ages to get back to you - The Fieldfare have not disappeared, what tends to happen as we go into March & April is that the remaining birds (usually around fifty), will use the sportsground behind the main pond field. This area is best avoided due to 'Health & Safety' gone mad. The birds will however often stray into the line of Oak trees backing the main pond field & from about April 10th, this is a good time to pick out a Ring Ouzel amongst them. In 2009 a Fieldfare (which I have to say can't of been 100% fit), stayed well into May at Headstone Moat & would sit on the cricket pitch - we considered having the bird taken into care but it always seemed to perk up & fly off at the last minute. Good to see that Wheatear, Swallow & Sand Martin have all been reported in the country this year - I'm off to try & find one! Regards, Jon R. 11:44, February 28th, 2010 Dear Jon Thanks for your reports which brought Pinner Park Farm to my attention. Can I ask - can you actually go into the fields? I entered from King George V avenue, but half felt like I had to keep to the path - there were others walking and I should have asked them really. I guess I walked until it looked like I was going to Headstone Lane and turned back. So I stayed on just that path from the entrance. Thank you, I do feel silly asking this. Michael Hi Michael, Thanks for stopping by....Okay, you asked about access to the fields....& in answer to your question....some of the fields "yes, there is access" & other fields are "out of bounds" for the moment....the reason? - dog walkers :( - they used to release their pets onto the fields unattended with pregnant mother cows - this sometimes resulted in a miscarriage & both the calf & mother would often die....the farm management soon grew tired of this & a total ban on access was imposed....also the dog walkers did not clear up after their animals, which didn't exactly help the situation.... The main bridleway is absolutely fine & a public right of way...lots of migrant birds can be seen from here at the correct time of year & there is a public footpath along the River Pinn, which can produce a variety of species & the larger raptors are easily picked up because of their size... The main pond is currently "off access", but in summary you can probably pick up about 85% of the birds recorded here, in just a few visits & perhaps even something a bit special... The Little Owls are easily picked up from the main bridleway & remain a popular attraction to the site - take your time & I hope you enjoy your next visit :) Regards, JR. Jon thank you so much for the information and the interesting background. I very much enjoy your reports and hope to contribute with my own - I will think of a username and sign up. Best wishes and thanks again